Obituary information is provided by district offices to the Synod’s Office of Rosters and Statistics. Any questions about content should be referred, therefore, to the appropriate district office. — Ed.
ORDAINED
ANDERSON, STEVEN L. REV., Nov. 26, 1946, Green Bay, Wis., to April 26, 2018, Wausau, Wis.; son of Anton and Marjorie Anderson; graduated Springfield Seminary 1974. Served 1974-2011. Ministries/Parishes: Anoka, Royalton, Isle, Gleason, Wis. Retired 2011. Funeral: May 12, 2018, Wausau, Wis.; Interment: Luxemburg, Wis.
BAHLOW, NORMAN WILLIAM REV., Nov. 5, 1939, Springfield, Ill., to Sept. 7, 2018, Festus, Mo.; son of Louis and Alma (Hasley) Bahlow; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1965. Served 1965-1978, 1981-2003, 2004-2006. Ministries/Parishes: New Melle, St. Louis, Shelbyville, Belle, Mo.; Chicago, Ill.; Atlanta, Texas; Missouri District Circuit Visitor 1991-1994. Retired 2006. Funeral and Interment: September 14, 2018, DeSoto, Mo.
HELLAND, LLOYD JAMES REV., Sept. 16, 1951, Albert Lea, Minn., to Aug. 18, 2018, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Lester and Veralyn (Tveit) Helland; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1990. Served 1990-2009. Ministries/Parishes: Guttenberg, McGregor, Iowa; Warsaw, Mo.; Okawville, Ill. Retired 2009. Survivors: Valerie (Hamilton) Helland; son: Joel; daughters: Rachel Bausch, Ruth Young. Funeral: Aug. 24, 2018, Warrenton, Mo.
HINZ, RICHARD T. REV., Dec. 2, 1934, Mason City, Iowa, to Aug. 21, 2018, Fredericksburg, Va.; son of Rev. Carl and Helen (Schroth) Hinz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1959. Served 1960-2009. Ministries/Parishes: Seaford, De.; Baltimore, Md.; Alexandria, Springfield, Va.; Southeastern District President 1978-1994. Retired 2009. Survivors: Deanna (Schaper) Hinz; sons: Rev. Paul, John, Rev. Timothy, Stephen. Funeral: Aug. 31, 2018, Springfield, Va.; Interment: Sept. 1, 2018, Fredericksburg, Va.
KOENIG, DAVID RICHARD REV., March 26, 1928, Garfield Heights, Ohio, to Aug. 10, 2018, Defiance, Ohio; son of Edward and Florence (Bohning) Koenig; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1952. Served 1954-1992. Ministries/Parishes: Highland, Ind.; Defiance, Ohio. Retired 1992. Preceded in death by his wife Althea (Berning) Koenig; son: Thomas; daughter: Cynthia. Survivors: sons: Michael, Mark, Andrew. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 14, 2018, Defiance, Ohio.
MICKAN, ELDOR LEONARD REV., July 27, 1917, Copperas Cove, Texas, to Sep. 17, 2018, Bulverde, Texas; son of Alfred and Marta (Zoch) Mickan; graduated Springfield Seminary 1945. Served 1946-1990. Ministries/Parishes: San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Alice, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Texas. Retired 1991. Survivors: Maria (Marx) Mickan; daughters: Ruth Ottmers, Martha Goeke, Rebecca Paterson, Deborah Schmalpz, Juanita Catron, Miriam Broyles. Funeral: Sept. 22, 2018, New Braunfels, Texas.
REINKE, CALVIN EUGENE REV., July 27, 1952, Lincoln, Neb., to Sept. 6, 2018, Salina, Kan.; son of Gilbert and Eleanor (Good) Reinke; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1979. Served 1979-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Wichita, Olathe, Salina, Kan.; Walton, Neb.; Richmond, Harvester, Mo.; Lincoln Park, Mich.; Missouri District Circuit Visitor 1990-1995. Survivors: Pam Reinke; son: Simon; daughter: Emily Acker. Memorial Service: Sept. 13, 2018, Salina, Kan.; Interment: Sept. 13, 2018, Lincoln, Neb.
RIEMER, MILTON HENRY REV., May 20, 1933, Mequon, Wis., to Sept. 3, 2018, Austin, Texas; son of Erwin and Gertrude (Radau) Riemer; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1958. Served 1958-1998. Ministries/Parishes: Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Austin, Texas. Retired 1998. Survivors: Joan (Sperberg) Riemer; sons: Joel, Jonathan; daughter: Janice. Memorial Service: Sept. 18, 2018, Austin, Texas; Inurnment: Lago Vista, Texas.
SCHUESSLER, DEANE L. REV., Feb. 22, 1933, Chicago, Ill., to Aug. 16, 2018, St. Paul, Minn.; son of Rev. Luther and Esther (Zutz) Schuessler; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1958. Served 1958-1998. Ministries/Parishes: Sapporo, Bibai, Hokkaido, Japan; Roseville, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Retired 1998. Survivors: Julie (Clausen) Schuessler; sons: Rev. Kevin, Joel; daughter: Gay Wolf. Funeral: Aug. 24, 2018, Woodbury, Minn.
THOMPSON, JOHN LEE SR. REV., March 28, 1950, Decatur, Ala., to Sept. 23, 2018, Houston, Texas.; son of Edmund and Elizabeth (Chappel) Thompson; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1986. Served 1986-1993, 1995-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Birmingham, Ala.; Crosby, Pasadena, Houston, Texas. Survivors: Elizabeth (Gaus) Thompson; son: John Jr.; daughters: Whitney, Rachel. Funeral: Sept. 29, 2018, Houston, Texas; Interment: Oct. 1, 2018, Houston, Texas.
COMMISSIONED
ACKMANN, JAMES, April 4, 1931, Milwaukee, Wis., to Aug. 1, 2018, Fort Wayne, Ind.; son of William and Eleanor (Luplow) Ackmann; graduated River Forest 1953. Served 1953-1993. Ministry/Parish: Fort Wayne, Ind. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth (Mueller) Ackmann. Survivors: sons: John, Thomas; daughters: Lauren Brennan, Susan Klawien, Christine Janowicz. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 11, 2018, Fort Wayne, Ind.
HANSEN, SCOTTE MICHAEL, Aug. 26, 1973, Lajes Field, Azores Island, Portugal, to July 19, 2018, Lincoln, Neb.; son of Michael and Linda (Smith) Hansen; graduated Seward 2000. Served 2000-2018. Schools/Ministries: Wichita, Kan.; Sioux City, Lincoln, La Vista, Neb. Survivors: Annie (Doerr) Hansen; son: Lane; daughter: Nadia Batres. Funeral: July 29, 2018, Lincoln, Neb.
HEINZ, EDWARD CHARLES, June 6, 1941, Bronx, N.Y., to Sept. 1, 2018, Aruba; graduated River Forest 1963. Served 1963-1994. Schools/Ministries: Rock Island, Ill.; College Point, N.Y.; Westwood, N.J. Retired 2011. Survivors: Betty (Roesch) Heinz; sons: Kenneth, Gary; daughter: Andrea Dawson. Celebration of Life and Interment: Sept. 22, 2018, Westwood, N.J.
HILL BELL, JUANITA (HILL), Dec. 22, 1945, Camden, Ala., to Aug. 20, 2018, Miami, Fla.; daughter of William and Lizzie Hill; graduated Seward 1969. Served 1973-2000. Schools/Ministries: Montgomery, Ala.; Miami, Orlando, Fla. Preceded in death by her husband Henry Bell. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 25, 2018, Atmore, Ala.
HOLZERLAND, ARNOLD W., Dec. 19, 1937, Waubay, S.D., to Sept. 9, 2018, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Eric and Minnie (Schulz) Holzerland; graduated Seward 1977. Served 1977-1999. Schools/Ministries: Osmond, Neb.; Munger, Mich.; Rosebud, Mo. Retired 1999. Survivors: Barbara (Ulrich) Holzerland; sons: Rev. Timothy, David; daughter: Lydia. Funeral: Sept. 14, 2018, Rolla, Mo.; Interment: September 18, 2018, Bourbon, Mo.
PLIESEIS, EUNICE LOIS (WENDLAND), July 5, 1941, Valley City, N.D., to July 20, 2018; daughter of John and Mildred (Hoffmeister) Wendland; graduated Mequon 1987. Served 1987-2010. School/Ministry: Greenfield, Wis. Retired 2010. Survivors: son: Todd; daughters: Lisa, Kelli Settle, Nicole Smith. Funeral: July 28, 2018, Greenfield, Wis.
SCHAEKEL, NORBERT, May 13, 1929, Decatur, Ind., to Aug. 21, 2018, Fort Wayne, Ind.; son of Herman and Edna (Wefel) Schaekel; graduated River Forest 1956. Served 1956-1991. Schools/Ministries: Bear Creek, Wis.; Buckley, Ill.; Decatur, Ind. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by his wife Mary (Ewel) Schaekel and son Lynn. Survivors: sons: Bert, Kirk.; daughters: Diane Brown, Connie, Annette Seitz, Beth Karimi. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 24, 2018, Decatur, Ind.
SPEED, CYNTHIA LOUISE (PAYTON), Sept. 19, 1957, Whitefish, Mont., to Sept. 12, 2018, Lewistown, Mont. daughter of Richard and Marilou Payton; colloquy 2012. Served 2012-2018. School/Parish: Billings, Mont. Survivors: sons: Matthew, Michael, Lucas, Garrick. Funeral Sept. 19, 2018, Billings, Mont.; Interment: Sept. 19, 2018, Eureka, Mont.
THIES, EVERETT IRVING, May 26, 1947, Springfield, Ill., to April 28, 2018, Des Moines, Iowa; son of Delbert and Katherine (Ropers) Thies; graduated Seward 1969. Served 1969-2002. Schools/Ministries: Houston, Texas; Lincoln, Hampton, Columbus, Neb.; Lockwood, Mo.; Bremen, Kan.; Retired 2013. Survivors: Patty (Layne) Thies; sons: Devon, Asher; daughter: Heather Burns. Funeral: June 8, 2018, Polk City, Iowa
